Sealed pushbutton switch

Abstract

A sealed pushbutton switch ( 1 ) includes an insulative housing ( 2 ), a number of fixed contacts ( 7 ), an actuator ( 3 ) moveably retained in the insulative housing, a moveable contact ( 6 ) fastened to the actuator and including a pair of elastic beams ( 62 ) each provided with a contact portion ( 621 ) contactable to corresponding fixed contacts to establish a reliable electrical connection between the fixed contacts, and a spring ( 5 ) mounted below the actuator. When the actuator is pushed, the moveable contact has an agile movement to break the electrical connection between the moveable contact and the fixed contacts.

1. A sealed pushbutton switch, comprising:
 an insulative housing defining a cavity; 
 a plurality of fixed contacts symmetrically exposed beside opposite sides of the insulative housing; 
 an actuator moveably retained in the cavity of the insulative housing; 
 a moveable contact fastened to the actuator and symmetrically formed with a plurality of elastic beams extending toward opposite sides of the insulative housing, each elastic beam being provided with a contact portion contactable to corresponding fixed contacts; 
 a spring mounted below said actuator; and 
 a base on which the fixed contacts are mounted, wherein said base together with the fixed contacts are attached to an opening of the insulative housing; 
 wherein when said actuator is pressed and moves together with said moveable contact from a first position to a second position relative to the insulative housing along a top-to-bottom direction, an electrical connection between said moveable contact and the fixed contacts comes to break; 
 wherein said base defines therein a plurality of retaining channels, and wherein each fixed contact has a body portion retained in corresponding retaining channel and provided with an engaging portion exposed on the base for engaging with corresponding contact portion of said moveable contact; 
 wherein said body portion of the fixed contact is L-shaped, and has an indentation defined beside the engaging portion for enclosing corresponding contact portion of the moveable contact, when the moveable contact is in the second position. 
 
   
   
     2. The sealed pushbutton switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each fixed contact comprises a plurality of soldering portions extending outside the base, and a plurality of connection portions connecting corresponding soldering portions to the body portion, and wherein said base defines a plurality of insertion channels communicating with corresponding retaining channels for insertion of said connection portions of the fixed contacts. 
   
   
     3. A sealed pushbutton switch, comprising:
 an insulative housing defining a cavity; 
 a plurality of fixed contacts each defining a mounting leg extending in a first direction; 
 an actuator moveably having a portion retained in the cavity of the insulative housing; 
 a moveable contact mounted upon said portion of the actuator and comprising a plurality of elastic beams each provided with a contact portion contactable to corresponding fixed contacts; and 
 a spring mounted behind said actuator; wherein 
 when said actuator is pressed and moves together with said moveable contact from a first position to a second position relative to the insulative housing along second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an electrical connection between said moveable contact and the fixed contacts changes under a condition that the contact portion exerts forces upon the corresponding fixed contact in a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second direction for not affecting the actuator and the mounting legs; wherein 
 said moveable contact comprises a retention portion and a pair of obliquely outspreading elastic beams; wherein 
 said retention portion of the moveable contact has a primary plate, and insertion plate extending parallel to the primary plate, and a connection plate vertically connecting the two plates together. 
 
   
   
     4. A sealed pushbutton switch, comprising:
 an insulative housing defining a cavity; 
 a base attached to the insulative housing; 
 a plurality of fixed contacts mounted on the base; 
 an actuator moveably retained in the cavity of the insulative housing; 
 a moveable contact fastened to the actuator and comprising a plurality of outspreading elastic beams each provided with a contact portion contactable to corresponding fixed contacts, and a retention portion having a primary plate, an insertion plate extending parallel to the primary plate, and a connection plate vertically connecting the two plates together; and 
 a spring mounted below said actuator; 
 wherein when said actuator is pressed and moves together with said moveable contact from a first position to a second position relative to the insulative housing along a top-to-bottom direction, an electrical connection between said moveable contact and the fixed contacts comes to break.